Police K9 tracks burglary, rape suspect

Within minutes of receiving a report early Saturday of a burglary and rape in the Whitman neighborhood in north Spokane, a Spokane police K9 tracked down the suspect.

A resident in the 1400 block of East Rowan Avenue called police about a burglary about 12:17 a.m. When officers arrived, the victim told them the burglar had raped her, according to a news release.

Police quickly got a description and called a canine unit to track the suspect.

K9 Duke led officers to the 1400 block of East North Avenue. As the dog continued west, officers spotted a man on the corner of North and Perry Street matching the suspect’s description

The man then ran north on Perry across Rowan, with Duke and his handler in pursuit, police said. The suspect, identified as Derrick Billy, 25, was apprehended in the alley near Rowan and Perry about 12:30 a.m. He was booked into jail on charges of first-degree rape and first-degree burglary.